It’s a bit overdue, but I’d love to take you on a tour of our chicken coop! I’ve had a years-long dream to have chickens, and we were finally able to get them last spring. We ordered from Meyer Hatchery – an assortment of Dominiques, Easter Eggers, and Blue Orpingtons. We received them around the…
Evelyn officially just turned 6 months old last week, and it is giving me all the feels ❤️ The newborn days are definitely hard, but they really do go by so fast. It’s true what they say, babies don’t keep. You’ll find yourself wishing you could be transported back in time to enjoy those newborn…
Dutch baby. German pancake. Bismarck. Dutch puff. American popover. Puff pancake. You might know it by any of these names, but regardless of what you call it I think we can all agree that it’s the most delicious brunch food! This Dutch baby pancake recipe is so quick and easy, you can have it on…
If you would have told me a few years ago that I would even think about cloth diapering my first baby I would have told you that you were crazy! Taking care of a newborn is a lot of work, and cloth diapering always just seemed like extra work. However, when I started looking into…
If you’ve decided on a trip to Bermuda, you will not be disappointed. It’s a tiny island that packs a big, beautiful punch! There are a few different ways to get around when you’re visiting the island, but we found the best option for us was renting a Twizy Car in Bermuda. It was easy…
While working on our pantry makeover, I decided I wanted to convert to glass storage. Most of my dry goods were in mismatched containers I had acquired over the years, and not all of them were completely airtight. After a bit of hunting, I decided on Le Parfait jars. They are designed to be used…
Dave and I recently traveled to Bermuda for our babymoon, and it was magical! We spent the week taking in all the sights. We decided on Bermuda for a few reasons: 1. It’s Zika-free; 2. It’s a short flight from the East coast (We flew out of Toronto and had a direct flight with AirCanada…
With baby’s due date less than 8 weeks away, nesting is definitely in full force here at the farmhouse! I tried to create a neutral nursery since we aren’t finding out the baby’s gender until birth. The nursery is definitely the look I’d be going for whether we were having a boy or a girl….
When I started planning the nursery for our first baby, I knew that I wanted lots of room for books! I’ve been collecting so many cute books over the years, and got SO many amazing books at our baby shower. We wanted a way that we could keep our favorites on display and within easy…
My favorite cookies to make around the holidays are these soft & chewy molasses ginger cookies. The combination of cinnamon, ginger and cloves is a perfect match for a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Plus, your kitchen will smell amazing the whole day! These molasses ginger cookies also freeze really well, so they’re perfect…
There have been SO many changes in our lives the last few months, but the most recent change was moving from our little ranch house into our new (old) house last week. We bought this 1832 farmhouse from my grandma, who has lived here the last 30 years. When my grandparents bought this house about…
Fall in New York is such a magical time! It seems like once the nights become cooler, it starts to finally feel like summer is on its way out. And you know what fall means – pumpkin spice everything! These pumpkin spice muffins are one of my favorite fall treats. This was the first time…
These cookies are the best! Anyone who has tried these cookies knows that I’m not exaggerating. They just melt in your mouth, and the combination of soft sugar cookie with maple frosting is heavenly. Growing up, my grandma always made these cookies, and it was one of the first cookie recipes I remember trying to…
As promised, here is a tour of our little 1200 sq. ft. ranch house. Dave bought this house 10 years ago before we were married, and as you can see from the “before” pictures it’s really come a long way. Most of our improvements were DIY, with the exception of some major things we weren’t…
Have you ever felt burdened by all of your luggage while traveling? It doesn’t have to be that way! You should be able to enjoy the journey, not just the destination. Unless your last name is Kardashian, you probably don’t have a private jet and people to cart your luggage around for you. Keep reading…
For me, summer always revolves around the best fresh, locally-grown produce. Here is Western New York the summer always seems so short, but our growing season is jam-packed with amazing fruits and veggies. We are lucky enough to live in an area where we can buy lots of local produce. No summer would be complete…
Quebec City is located on the St. Lawrence River and is the capital of the province of Quebec, Canada. The origin of the name Quebec is quite interesting. It actually stems from the Algonquian word “Kébec” which means “where the river narrows.” The greater Quebec area was originally inhabited by several different Algonquian-speaking tribes. Quebec…
Adding lights to your patio/garden area is an easy way to make your outdoor space more inviting. It might seem a little bit intimidating to buy a bag of concrete mix, but it’s really not difficult to make these DIY garden posts! The hardest part is getting the posts home in your car. There is…
These DIY window boxes are a great way to add year-round curb appeal to your house. I decided to design and build my own after I was unable to find premade window boxes that I loved. The main issue I had with premade window boxes is that most of them are way too small. I…
Everyone knows that a good night’s sleep is essential for mental and physical health, but sometimes you just need a little extra help drifting off. This lavender pillow spray helps promote relaxation and deeper sleep using lavender essential oil. Lavender essential oil is very calming, and has balancing properties for the mind and body. I…
São Miguel, Azores Islands, Portugal I decided that in celebration of Earth Day earlier this week, it seems only fitting to share a post about my favorite place on earth – São Miguel Island. It is by far the most breathtaking, magical place I’ve ever been. Every square inch of the island is unimaginably beautiful….
This scone recipe is one of my all-time favorites! Blueberries always make me think of summer, and making these scones during any other season brings me back to long summer days spent outside. These blueberry scones with lemon frosting are sure to be a new favorite in your recipe box! Keep scrolling to the very…
Yosemite has been on my bucket list since the beginning of time. I feel so fortunate that Dave and I were recently able to go there for a few days. It was an absolute dream come true just to be able to drive through the gates into the park. This was the third national park…
Our office has long been the most neglected room in our house. It seems that all of the junk in our house migrates there and piles up. My vision for this room was to create a place that was light and bright with a lot more work surface. After deciding that I definitely wanted a…
“The Incomparable Yosemite. The walls are made up of rocks, mountains in size, partly separated from each other by side canyons, and they are so sheer in front, and so completely and harmoniously arranged on a level floor, that the Valley, comprehensively seen, looks like an immense hall or temple lighted from above.” “But no…
Baklava. Yum. Just saying the word “baklava” makes my mouth start to water! This buttery, flaky, sweet dessert is amazingly delicious and easy to make. It is so much better than any store bought version you won’t even believe your taste buds! I was recently asked to make baklava for a bridal shower for my…
Homemade marshmallows are easier to make than you probably think and they are SO much better than store bought! They’re also gluten free, so they’re a great treat for friends and family who have a gluten intolerance or Celiac disease. I like to use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract in this recipe so…
Does your kitchen stress you out? Mine did for a very long time until I finally decided to simplify it. A calm and clutter-free kitchen is more inviting and makes cooking more fun. You can simplify your kitchen and keep it clutter-free by following these five simple tips. We live in a 1200 square foot…
Let’s be honest, sometimes dessert is just the thing to go with a cup of fresh, hot coffee in the morning. This buttermilk coffee cake is sweet, crumbly and delicious, and you can add in different spices to suit your taste. I think the point of calling it “coffee cake” is so that we can…
Is there a dessert that you make that’s always a hit? One that’s always requested at family get-togethers? I have a couple that I love to make, but lately the most popular one is Salted Caramels. With a little time and effort, you can transform this short list of ingredients into heavenly salted caramels to…
Making this DIY hand soap is not only cheap and easy, but it’s better for you (and the planet)! First and foremost, you are you getting rid of unnecessary exposure to chemicals. But also imagine all of the plastic you are keeping out of the landfill! This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a…